Used car guide · 2009–2010

Nissan Tiida common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Nissan Tiida, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 1,269 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

1,269MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

20102009

What usually goes wrong with a Nissan Tiida?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Nissan Tiida in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Nissan Tiida MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

  • Ball joint

    up to 3.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2009.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Rigid brake pipes

    up to 2.5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2009.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

  • Exhaust system

    up to 2.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2009.

    Rough price £100–£500 (pipe or section) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for blowing or rattling from underneath at idle, and look for black soot around joints.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints

    up to 2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2009.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

Nissan Tiida MOT pass rate by year

Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
201044%60% -16494 (small sample)
200947%59% -12775

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Nissan Tiida

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the ball joint? (Flagged at MOT 3.1× as often on the Nissan Tiida as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the rigid brake pipes? (Flagged at MOT 2.5× as often on the Nissan Tiida as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the exhaust system? (Flagged at MOT 2.4× as often on the Nissan Tiida as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Nissan Tiida?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score